Dating Your Wheel Horse Tractor

[D_Ram 14]

I wanted to share a bit of my research, I have never found this info compiled and available within any of the forums I have joined or searched.

"What year is my tractor?" "How do I date it?" Although our research is never complete here is what has been determined:

If your tractor has a three or four digit model number, excluding a hyphen(-) it was built between 1958-1967 and the last "Numerical" digit would indicate the model year, IE: RE-65, 855, 1055, then your tractor is a 1965 model year. The only exceptions to this found are some of the early RJ models that carried through a couple years and the 1054A which was sold as a 1965 and was guesstimated to be a very late 1054 with an updated engine and transmission.

Beginning in 1968 we must use this magical number 5. But Why you ask, well I asked myself that question for years until some idiot (Me) became obsessed enough about knowing to devote the time to actually research it and what I have determined actually made sense once seeing it.
 

Here we go: The 5 relates to the year 1965. 1965 was the first year for the addition of the Hydrostatic Transmission along with multiple other revisions to the tractor line, three years later a new Model numbering scheme was born. Implemented in 1968 on the 3rd "birthday" (year) of the 1965 model revisions. This new model number includes a date code number which is the 4th numerical digit of that number, example: within the 1968 Raider 9 model number 1-6931, the 3 is our magical number, it is the 4th numerical digit and the 3rd "birthday" of the 1965 model revisions thus the 3 added to the 1965 model year, 3+1965 = a 1968 model year.

So this Model numbering scheme begins with 1968 and ends with 1970. Other examples, IE: with a 2-1231 REO we would add 5 to 3 (3+1965=1968) thus telling us this tractor is a 1968 model year. A 1-6251 we would add 5 to 5 (5+1965=1970) thus telling us this is a 1970 model year, the R-26 and Raider 10 are partial exceptions. The Raider 10 was not produced for the 1969 Model year, however the model numbers for 1969 and 1970 both show up for the 1970 model year.

Beginning with 1971 we see the same five digit model number scheme but it no longer includes the date code digit, instead an additional number was added next to the model number so we then use that additional number instead of the Model number digit and add 5 to it to determine the model year, IE: a 1-0300   6   Raider 10 we would add 6 to 5 (6+1965=1971) telling us it is a 1971. It has been common for folks to subtract the 5 and since we are not using negative numbers we remove the negative indicator leaving us with the correct number, bottom line is either direction you want to mow it you will come up with the right year :).

Let's move on to 1976. Beginning in 1976 through 1984 we not only have a model year indicator within the model number again but we also have the build date code on a second line of the model ID tag. The serial number is the last set of digits after the second hyphen(-) of the model number. IE: A 61-16OS01-*** D-160 the first digit 6 is the model year 1976. The second line number is a Julian date version, IE: 6174, the 6 = the year 76 and the 174 is the day of that year, June 23. So not only does it have the year but also the day it came off the assembly line.
To be continued...
Research and Document by Dennis Ramsey

 

[wallfish 17,500]

Thank you Dennis as it's always good to have more info and understanding! I never understood the SN thing completely

Are you aware of this document? It might help to find the mismatches and one offs

Wheel Horse All Years

 

Wheel_Horse_All_Years.pdf

[953 nut 57,979]

The person who developed that numbering system must have gone on to write tax codes for the IRS.    

Edited January 28, 2024 by 953 nut

[D_Ram 14]

14 hours ago, wallfish said:

Thank you Dennis as it's always good to have more info and understanding! I never understood the SN thing completely

Are you aware of this document? It might help to find the mismatches and one offs

Wheel Horse All Years

 

Wheel_Horse_All_Years.pdf 124.14 kB · 4 downloads

Thanks. Yes I do have that document along with a multitude of others I have accumulated throughout my research. My primary focus has been on pre-Toro purchase models, mainly because all 12 of mine are all pre-Toro,  but will soon be extended to post-Toro models as well.

[SylvanLakeWH 27,583]

Hhhmmm...

 

Im happily married, so not interested, but the title of this thread got me wondering who on RS might be interested in dating their tractors rather than their current spouse / partner... 

[D_Ram 14]

On 1/27/2024 at 6:41 PM, D_Ram said:

Beginning in 1976 through 1984

I noticed a type-O in my post but am unable to edit it, it should state "Beginning in 1976 through 1980" not "1984". The 1981 and 82 models carried over the same year model as the 1980 then in 1982 the model numbering scheme was changed yet again and I have not yet finished my research on that part. Sorry for that!

Edited January 30, 2024 by D_Ram
type-o